When you look at the coverage on your mobile, you probably see frequently 4G +. Until the arrival of 5G, this has been the fastest standard that we have been able to use on our mobiles. 4G LTE arrived in 2009, but two years later its improved version arrived in the form of 4G +, or LTE-A. The ‘A’ stands for Advanced, and the 3GPP will follow the same nomenclature for the improved version of the 5G which will arrive soon before 6G.
The 5G + will arrive by the year 2024
The 3GPP is an association dedicated to determining the specifications of mobile network standards used throughout the world. Although initially its objective was to work on the standardization of 3G, the group has been in charge of designing all the new standards. Now, they have published “Release 18”, which is the one that affects 5G +.
While the launch of the 5G final specification occurred in 2019, the 5G + release it will produce in 2024. Just before, in December 2023, the standard will be frozen so that no more changes can be made, so that there we will already know all the changes and definitive news that it will offer.
The 3GPP for now has shown the logo that will have the new standard of mobile connectivity. This logo will be the same as the 5G logo, only it will add the “Advanced” on the right side. Thanks to that, it will be much easier to identify the products that are compatible with this standard.
5G Advanced enhancements
This standard will offer a multitude of improvements over the current 5G. For example, it will be able to better maintain the connection when the user is changing antennas and circulating at high speed, as happens if we go by car or by AVE. Thus, the connection will not be lost nor will there be any pixelations.
The extension of this connectivity to low-power devices with speeds less than 100 Mbpssuch as home IoT devices, traffic cameras, industrial and agricultural sensors, etc. This will seek reduce the cost of carrying 5G to these devices to facilitate the migration to 5G.
Another important improvement that 5G Advanced will offer is being able to enjoy a lower energy consumption. Currently 5G consumes more energy than 4G +, just as when 4G was launched, it consumed more than 3G. Thus, deactivating 5G today allows us to save battery, although in exchange for enjoying lower speed and higher latency.
Finally, another improvement that the standard will offer will be power position devices with an accuracy of less than 10 centimeters without using GPS. For this, triangulation will be used through mobile antennas, and as with 5G the number of antennas will be multiplied, the margin of error will be massively reduced.
To that are added improvements in the timing, where by measuring with extreme precision how long the signals take to go and return to the devices, the location can be established with more precision than with 4G. The advantage of this positioning is that it works even indoors, where GPS coverage does not work. This will also serve to maintain stability in services where latency is critical, such as bag or online games.
Another improvement that is being studied is the use of unlicensed bands to allow the devices communicate with each other locally without relying on antennas. However, the latter is still under study, and we will have to wait a few years for it to arrive. 5G + is expected to hit the first devices by 2025, a year after the standard was finalized.